Having taken a look at all of the recently released classic Hammer films by Studiocanal it’s now time to take a look at the ones that came out in 2012 on Blu-ray. I’m going to start with a Dracula film from 1966, so without further ado here’s my Dracula: Prince Of Darkness blu-ray Review.
- Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966)
- Genre: Horror
- UK Rating 15
- Discs: 2 (Blu-ray & DVD)
- Released By Studiocanal
- Blu-ray Released: 30th April 2012
Plot
Four English tourists are enjoying a holiday in Eastern Europe whereupon they are warned in a local inn not to go to a town called Karlsbad and in no way are they to go near the castle there. Following a delay to their journey the coachman refuses to take them any further as darkness approaches. They are left at the roadside whereupon a driverless horse and carriage appears. They enter but are forced to travel up to the castle where four places are already set for dinner. Is someone expecting them?
The film is directed by Terence Fisher with the cinematography handled by Michael Reed. The film flows rather well ramping up the tension nicely until the reveal of Count Dracula. Prince Of Darkness is an excellent example of Hammer film you tend to think of. The music certainly is classic Hammer as is the inclusion of actor Christopher Lee.
Music / Audio Effects
The music is provided by Hammer legend James Bernard and is incredibly dramatic, perfect in fact for the genre.
Acting / Characters
Solid performances all round make you care about the characters plight. Although Christopher Lee has no lines he still manages create a terrifying performance, in fact it maybe enhances that side of things.
Cast
- Christopher Lee as Count Dracula
- Barbara Shelley as Helen Kent
- Andrew Keir as Father Sandor
- Francis Matthews as Charles Kent
- Suzan Farmer as Diana Kent
- Charles Tingwell as Alan Kent
- Thorley Walters as Ludwig
- Philip Latham as Klove
- Walter Brown as Brother Mark
- Jack Lambert as Brother Peter
- George Woodbridge as Landlord
- Philip Ray as Priest
Conclusion: Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966) Film Review
This may not be the best Dracula film that Hammer have produced, Christopher Lee doesn’t even have any dialogue but it’s a film I simply love. I’ve seen this film more times than I can remember and I still love watching it. Prince Of Darkness looks sounds and feels like a proper Hammer horror and that is a massive positive that make this a film every fan of the genre should see and probably own.
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Conclusion: Dracula: Prince Of Darkness Blu-ray Review
Yet again Studiocanal impresses with another Hammer Blu-ray release. The picture quality is excellent with no issues to report. The image is clean and sharp with the colours spot on.
On the extras front the documentary “Back To Black: The Making of Dracula Prince Of Darkness ” provides the perfect insight into how the film came to be. The World of Hammer is older archive documentary looking at all things Hammer, both are a must see for all Hammer horror fans.
All in all this is a superb set of extras, perfect for every Hammer horror fan!
Extras
- Back To Black: The Making of Dracula Prince Of Darkness (30 mins)
- The World of Hammer (25 mins)
- Behind The Scences (Super 8mm Footage) (5 mins)
- Restoration Comparison (4 mins)
- Trailer
- Double Bill Trailer
- Original USA Titles
- UK Theatrical Titles
Prince Of Darkness looks sounds and feels like a proper Hammer horror
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966) Blu-ray
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966) blu-ray is available now from Amazon.co.uk.
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Popcorn Cinema Rating:
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966)
MOVIE RATING: MUST SEE
BLU-RAY RATING: EXCELLENT
POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMMENDED
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966) Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip may not be representative of the blu-ray version
That’s my Dracula: Prince Of Darkness blu-ray review, if you have any thoughts on this film you can leave a comment over on our Facebook page.
Summary: Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966)
Movie description: Hammer Horror
Duration: 90 mins
Director(s): Terence Fisher
Actor(s): Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Charles Tingwell, Thorley Walters, Philip Latham
Genre: Horror
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Picture Rating
- Extras
Summary
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness looks and feels like a Hammer horror should.
Pros
- Christopher Lee
- Directed by Terence Fisher
- Music by James Bernard
Cons
- No dialogue for Christopher Lee
